


Malfunction

by shadowfox8



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Angst, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:08:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27131575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowfox8/pseuds/shadowfox8
Summary: Gordon is enjoying some time in the ocean when Thunderbird 4 decides to play some tricks, giving our loveable prankster decompression sickness. For MissSquidTracy.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Nope still don't own them after all these years.
> 
> A ficlet for MissSquidTracy on Tumblr, as she challenged me to Gordon and decompression sickness.
> 
> This takes place in the 2015 Thunderbirds Are Go realm. If you are familiar with my writing, you are used to me using the original series or 2004 movie as reference.
> 
> It was hard training my brain to call Virgil second oldest and Gordon a blonde instead of a redhead.
> 
> Mild cursing because sometimes life calls for it.
> 
> Hope you enjoy and sorry Gordo…..it's just not your day!

“Thunderbird Four to Thunderbird Five. John, do you read me?” Gordon called, as he continued to survey the disconcerting readouts in front of him.

“Reading you, Gordon. Aren’t getting bored, are you?” the space monitor quipped.

“Not a chance,” Gordon smirked at his older brother’s holographic form. “John, can you do me a favor and run a diagnostic on Four?”

“What’s going on?” John immediately was all business as he began pulling up his systems.

“I’m not sure,” Gordon admitted. “My electrical board is going haywire.”

John began scanning Thunderbird 4 while also alerting the Island of their situation. If something was wrong with Thunderbird 4, they needed to get Thunderbird 2 out to him right away. “I’m scanning now. Anything else I need to be aware of?”

“Everything else appears to be hunky-dory. I still had one more day out here before Virg was supposed to come to pick me up,” Gordon frowned as he looked out into the vast ocean in front of him. He was enjoying some alone time along the ocean floor as he did some research of his own, testing out their equipment and ways to enhance water rescues.

“Looks like your trip is about to be cut short, Gords,” John replied glumly. “I’m not reading any failures aboard Four. I should be picking up what you’re seeing.”

“John, what’s going on?” Scott’s voice commanded across the coms.

Gordon noticed the worried holographic forms of his two eldest brothers appear.

“Gordon is reporting what appears to be an electrical malfunction on Thunderbird Four,” John reported as he continued to do a more in-depth scan of the submarine craft as well as any anomalies in the ship’s vicinity.

“Gordon, are you okay?” Virgil’s deep voice registered.

“I’m fine,” the aquanaut responded as he eyed the instrumentation in front of him. “Ah, shit!” he exclaimed as the sub lurched forward, causing him to bump his head on the dash. It wasn’t enough to give him a concussion, but Gordon knew that would leave a bruise. He groaned as the lights short-circuited for a moment before coming back on fully functional.

“Gordon, report! Can you hear us?” Scott’s worried voice called.

Gordon only now realized the images of his brothers were gone. “I’m here.”

“What happened?” Virgil asked as he and Scott boarded Thunderbird 2.

“Umm…I’m not sure,” Gordon started. “Lights went out for a second, but everything is back up now.” He searched the controls in front of him and cursed as he noticed that everything was indeed not back up. “Um, guys. I just lost navigation.”

“Were on our way to you, Gordon. Just hold on,” Virgil said as he willed the ship to go faster.

“John, are Brains and Alan on their way back from Mars yet?” Scott wondered, meeting Virgil’s uneasy gaze.

“Negative, I’ve already checked. I haven’t been able to reach them. Communications are still being affected by the dust storm,” John said, looking at the images in front of him. “I’ll keep trying.”

“F.A.B,” Scott replied.

“John, are you picking up my signal?” Gordon asked uneasily.

“Don’t worry, kid. We’ve got your location,” Virgil answered as Thunderbird 2 sped across the sky.

Gordon took in a sigh of relief. “F.A.B.”

The swimmer’s relief only lasted for a moment as his sub shuttered and lurched forward once more. Gordon quickly grabbed his helmet and placed it upon his head. Gripping the sides, he tried to stabilize himself as he felt the yellow sub lose power and lean toward the ocean floor several miles below him.

“Do you guys hear me?” Gordon called as he pressed the IR insignia on his shoulder. “I’ve just lost pow–“ he stopped his words as life returned to his ship. “Ugh, just kidding,” he groaned. Whatever was going on with his ship was fast becoming a tireless game.

“We’re almost to you,” Scott reported.

“Gordon, do you have full control?” John assessed. “You’re going to have to climb higher if Thunderbird Two has to fish you out. You’re too deep.”

“Hang on,” Gordon breathed with a sigh. “Let me see what’s still functioning.” Fiddling with the controls, he smirked as his baby responded to him. “I may not have navigation, but by golly, these hands still got the magic touch.”

He earned a chuckle from each of his siblings as he climbed toward the surface.

Gordon’s triumph was fleeting as his ship shook in his hands, and the lights went out once more. He was only a few thousand feet from the surface, which made it even more maddening to him. “Welp, fishing it is guys. Someone turned the lights out again.”

“Too much partying, little tadpole,” Virgil quipped as he hovered overhead.

“Some party,” Gordon grumbled as he felt the grapple from Thunderbird 2 latch onto the top of the sub. He could feel his headache growing as he entered the body of Pod 4.

“Welcome back, lost fish,” Scott smirked as he greeted his little brother inside the Pod.

“You know you missed me,” Gordon beamed as he followed his oldest brother into the cockpit. “Thanks for saving me. Any word from Brains?”

John’s holographic form popped up across the display. “I just heard from them. He’s concerned and said he would have to take a look at Four to understand what’s going on.”

“Took you all but two months to bust this one,” Scott teased.

“Hey! None of those are my fault, thank you very much,” Gordon puffed, rubbing his forehead. His back began to ache, which he attributed to his tenure at sea the last few days.

“Is this the part where I tell you this is why we can’t have nice things?” Virgil chuckled as he prepared for the final approach to the Island.

“Very funny,” the aquanaut mumbled and closed his eyes as he felt sudden dizziness begin to take over.

“We’re just teasing you, Gords. I’m sure Brains will get to the bottom of what’s causing the electrical failure. Probably a faulty circuit board,” Virgil reassured as he brought his ‘bird in for a landing and allowed the green ship to be pulled into the hanger.

“Yea, hopefully,” Gordon only replied as he suddenly began not to feel well. Feeling Two halt, he knew they were officially home. Standing, the blonde felt his world tilt as dizziness overwhelmed him.

“Woah!” Scott exclaimed as he caught Gordon, gripping his arms. “I see you still have your sea legs.”

Gordon didn’t respond as he suddenly realized something wasn’t right. He tried to take another step forward, but intense pain gripped his body, and it took everything in Scott to not let him fall.

“Gordon!” the field commander yelled as he cradled his little brother in his arms.

Virgil shot up from his seat and immediately began inspecting the second youngest for an unseen wound. “Gordon, where are you hurt?”

“It’s not…” the blonde tried to explain as he suddenly realized what was happening to his body. With no navigation and in a hurry to reach the surface before his sub lost all power, he hadn’t focused on his depth and decompressing properly. _Shit…_

The realization of what was happening clicked to the field medic as he noticed Gordon began to take short breathes. “Gordon, did you decompress on your way up?”

“Did I… Did I mention I had no navigation left?” the swimmer groaned as his body ached, and he struggled to get a deep breath in. He knew he had to get his breathing under control.

“Gordon!” Virgil cursed as the reality of the situation hit him full force, and he grabbed the emergency first aid kit to his right. “Scott, grab that backboard,” Virgil ordered as he placed an oxygen mask on Gordon. “We’ve got to get him on full oxygen and in the compression chamber immediately!”

**_TBC…_ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.
> 
> Short and umm... anxious this chapter, but there's a reason for that.

**Chapter Two**

Virgil and Scott quickly carried the stretcher that held a struggling Gordon. They placed him upon an empty bed in the med bay. "John, notify Grandma we need her in Thunderbird Two now!"

"F.A.B." John acknowledged.

"Shouldn't we move him to the infirmary in the house?" Scott asked as he unstrapped Gordon from the board.

"No, we have to do this here," Virgil said, shaking his head and quickly hooked Gordon up to a monitor. "Cut him out of his suit," he ordered, handing his older brother a pair of scissors. "I need unheeded access if this turns dark fast."

Scott shot a fearful look toward the medic. "Such as?"

Virgil ignored him as he continued setting up an IV full of fluids.

Gordon wanted to die.

The bends were a special kind of hell only Satan could've thought of, that much Gordon was sure. Of all the stupid things he could've done, he was pretty sure this topped it. "I – I'm sorry," he struggled as he felt like his joints were on fire.

"I've got you, Gordo. We'll get through this," Virgil reassured as he ran a comforting hand through the blonde's hair. "Tell me what you're feeling. I need to know as much as possible."

Gordon closed his eyes as he rode out the pain. "My arms and legs feel like pins and needles are stabbing me," he coughed, groaning, as nausea hit full force. "I'm going to be sick…."

Scott quickly grabbed a basin as Gordon miserably retched into it, both of his older brother's steadying him. "Easy, Gords," Scott cooed as they helped him lay limply back into the bed.

Gordon found himself coughing uncontrollably. Looking into his hand, the swimmer's amber eyes widened as he saw a few speckles of blood covering his hand - now fearful eyes met Virgil's. The medic quickly grabbed his hand before pulling the oxygen mask back on his face as Gordon found himself struggling to breathe.

"Damn!" Virgil swore and rushed toward the recompression chamber. "John, I need to know his last known depth chart now!"

"Boys!" Grandma Tracy yelled as she rushed into the medical bay. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the state of her second youngest grandson as Scott tried to keep the oxygen mask on his face.

"Decompression sickness," Virgil explained. "Exhibiting all the signs of type one and two distress." The field medic quickly entered data from Thunderbird 5 into the chamber's system.

Grandma Tracy nodded and quickly began listening to Gordon's chest with her stethoscope. She didn't like what she was hearing. Pulling the device from her ears, she cradled Gordon's face in her gentle hands. "Gordon, honey. Look at me."

Gordon struggled at first but obeyed the soothing voice of his grandmother. He was finding it hard to stay conscious.

"Sweetie, stay with us. I need you to try and relax, okay? The pain will only get worse if you fight it."

"Grandma, what can I do?" Scott asked as he gripped Gordon's shoulder gently, reminding the aquanaut he was still there.

Grandma Tracy smiled softly at her eldest grandson. "Help me move him into the chamber."

"I've got him," Scott replied. "Go help, Virgil."

Virgil turned from the chamber as they brought Gordon over. "Gordon?" he called worriedly, as he noticed his brother's eyes were closed.

"Gordon!" Grandma Tracy urgently said as she tapped his face. She received no response. Looking at the monitor, she eyed Gordon's vitals. "Get him in the chamber now."

Pushing the bed into the chamber, Virgil sealed the door and nodded at his grandmother to initiate the machine. Within seconds the device began to pressurize to the preset depth. Virgil eyed his younger brother cautiously.

Grandma Tracy placed a comforting hand along the backs of Scott and Virgil. "He'll be okay, boys."

"What do we do now?" Scott asked apprehensively.

"Now, we wait," Grandma Tracy said, taking in a deep breath.

It was going to be a long couple of hours…

_**TBC…** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Not mine.
> 
> Alas, here is the fluffy conclusion. I hope you've enjoyed this little snippet.

**Chapter Three**

Gordon awoke slowly.

Heavy eyelids were gradually forced open, and a fuzzy scene greeted him.

Was he in the infirmary back on Tracy Island?

Blinking, he noticed what appeared to be a bag of fluids hanging. Following the IV, he saw the port in his arm and a body next to his hand.

Gordon's eyesight focused on the face that was resting near his hand, their eyes closed.

"S-sc..." he tried to whisper but immediately regretted it as a coughing fit ensued, sending fire throughout his chest. Gordon suddenly realized an oxygen mask covered his face, quickly making him feel claustrophobic.

"Gordon!" he heard his eldest brother call out.

The second youngest tried to paw away at the oxygen mask on his face as he gasped for air, not understanding what was happening.

"Gordon, you have to leave the mask on," Scott instructed as he gently but firmly held the aquanaut in place.

Another set of strong hands suddenly pushed him down. "Gordon, look at me," he heard the deep voice demand. His amber eyes blinked and finally met the concerned gaze of his brother Virgil. _Where did he come from?_

"Gordon, take a slow depth breath. Follow me, okay?" Virgil demonstrated as he instructed Gordon to follow his own breathing pattern.

Slowly Gordon felt his breathing relax as he felt the forced oxygen reaching his lungs. His chest burned, but he was finding it easier to breathe.

"You with us, Fishface?" Scott questioned, his sapphire eyes searching Gordon's face in worry.

Gordon nodded slowly, relaxing his body into the bed as fatigue overwhelmed him suddenly. "W-what happened?"

"What do you remember?"

Gordon searched his brain.

_Did something happen to Thunderbird 4?_

_Had he been on a mission?_

_Why couldn't he think or remember?_

"It's okay. Confusion is a normal side effect of decompression sickness, Gords," Virgil reassured. "We had to fish you out of the ocean when Thunderbird Four started acting up. You didn't decompress appropriately on the way up. It was scary for a bit, but we got you in the chamber. You've been unconscious for a while. Once it was safe to remove you from the chamber, Grandma instructed that we move you inside here to the house infirmary."

"We just forced Grandma to bed," Scott smirked as he noticed Gordon's eyes searching the room apprehensively. "Took some convincing."

"More than some," Virgil quipped. "How are you feeling?"

Gordon took in another puff of oxygen and groaned. "My chest feels like it's on fire."

"I'm not surprised," Virgil mused and looked at his watch. "I can give you something to help. Anything else to report?"

"My body aches, but that makes sense now if it's the bends," Gordon replied honestly.

Virgil began pushing the painkiller into his IV. Once finished, he eyed Gordon's monitor and was satisfied with his little brother's levels. "Your stats are looking good, and your oxygen saturation is getting better each hour. I'd say we're through the worst of it. You'll be good as new in a few days."

"Next time, just save us big brothers the trouble, though. Okay?" Scott said, gripping Gordon's shoulder. "I, for one, could go without another few gray hairs."

Gordon smiled. "Now, what's the fun in that?" he mused, earning two danger glares.

Virgil grew a devilish grin on his face. "Don't worry, Scott. Grandma's cooking for the next few days should be a good enough reminder."

Scott chuckled. "That's right! She did mention something about making a batch of cookies."

Gordon's eyes grew in horror. "I take it back! You wouldn't leave the wounded so vulnerable now, would you?"

"We'll think about it," Virgil simpered, noticing Gordon was finding it hard to keep his eyes open. "Get some rest. We're not going anywhere."

Gordon nodded as he took in another puff of oxygen. "Thanks for having my back, guys. I don't really remember, but it sounds like you saved my tail today."

"Don't mention it, squirt," Scott smiled. "Get some rest."

Gordon finally closed his eyes, allowing sleep to claim him. The comfort of knowing his two big brothers were there to watch over him made him feel like a kid again, and for once, he was okay with it.

_**FIN!** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! I hope you enjoyed this little piece. I have a couple of WIP on the back burner, still including a sequel to Always the Hero. Working on them little by little, and once the semester is over, I hope to have more time to work on them.
> 
> Until later!! Thanks again for your reviews!


End file.
